"I am very pleased that Air Canada and the IAMAW worked closely together to reach a tentative collective agreement," said Minister Raitt. "I look forward to the official ratification of this collective agreement and applaud both parties for maintaining strong labour-management relations during a period of economic fragility."

The IAMAW represents a unit of approximately 8 200 technical, maintenance and operational support employees whose previous collective agreement expired on March 31, 2011. The tentative agreement, reached with the assistance of Justice Louise Otis, a conciliation commissioner appointed by Minister Raitt, will be submitted to IAMAW members for a ratification vote.